Though the dreamiest of white wedding gowns and pristine venues have been well-documented in the pages of Vogue, not all celebrity couples have chosen to go the traditional route for their big day. When it comes to tying the knot, these famous couples have said their vows in unconventional fashion instead, opting for ceremonies that are rebelliously spirited and wholeheartedly unique. Whether they strayed from the classic white and black uniform, or chose surprising locations such as amusement parks or, yes, a school bus, these unusual weddings say “I do” to straying from bridal convention.
Below, 11 unconventional celebrity weddings.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Malcolm McRae
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The world was under the impression that Anya Taylor-Joy got married in October 2023, but it turns out that she tied the knot with her partner, Malcolm McRae, in a secret New Orleans ceremony 18 months before. In an Instagram post, the actor shared a snap of the couple’s unique wedding cakes, which were heart-shaped—but not in the traditional sense.
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard
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The couple kept things lowkey for their 2016 nuptials by choosing to wed in a small Beverly Hills courthouse. Shepard wore a black tux for the ceremony, and Bell a simple black dress. According to Shepard, the whole ceremony cost $142 in total.
Nicole Richie and Joel Madden
Richie and Madden got engaged in 2010 after dating for more than three years and sharing two children together: daughter Harlow and son Sparrow. That year, their wedding ceremony, held at the home of Richie’s father Lionel Richie, featured a French garden theme with a live elephant—for good luck, said the bride—and a horse and carriage.
Dianna Agron and Winston Marshall
Agron and Marshall wed in 2016 after dating for a year. The couple chose to tie the knot destination-style in Morocco, where they rode into the ceremony at the Beldi Country Club atop camels. Agron also forwent white, opting to wear a nude embroidered Valentino gown instead.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
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Parker and Broderick surprised friends and family in 1997 with an unexpected ceremony. The couple reportedly invited 100 guests to a “cocktail party,” but when they showed up to the Lower East Side synagogue in New York City, they were greeted with a full-on wedding instead. Parker defied tradition by wearing a black wedding dress, and guests listened to show tunes at the party until the wee hours—fitting, as the duo met while working on Broadway.
Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy
Olsen wed banker Sarkozy in 2015 in a private home in Manhattan. With an intimate crowd of roughly 50, the ceremony reportedly had “bowls and bowls” of cigarettes for guests to enjoy.
Britney Spears and Jason Allen Alexander
It was the impromptu Vegas wedding seen ’round the world. In 2004, Spears surprisingly wed childhood friend Alexander at the Little White Wedding Chapel. They paid $70 for the seven-minute ceremony, and were married for 55 hours before they finally got it annulled.
Olivia Wilde and Tao Ruspoli
Wilde, who was 19 years old at the time, wed Italian filmmaker Ruspoli in 2003. The couple had gotten engaged at the Burning Man music festival, and the ceremony was later held in an abandoned school bus in Virginia. They later divorced in 2011.
Solange Knowles and Alan Ferguson
Knowles wed video director Ferguson in 2014. The bride wore a white caped dress by Humberto Leon for Kenzo her portraits, and later switched into a white jumpsuit by Stephane Rolland—the perfect ensemble for when she arrived at the ceremony on a white-painted bicycle, decorated with cream roses.
Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky
The late actress wed construction worker Fortensky—her eighth wedding—in 1991, held at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. Taylor went the non-traditional route by wearing a pale yellow Valentino gown, and Jackson served as her best man. (A rogue paparazzi even attempted to parachute into the ceremony.) Guests rode carnival rides afterwards.
Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock
Anderson and Rock (unsurprisingly) skirted a traditional church venue, choosing to tie the knot in 2006 on a yacht in Saint-Tropez. Anderson wore a white string bikini. while Rock was shirtless and in jeans. The marriage was not considered legal, however, and the couple had to wed again in a courthouse chapel the following week. They divorced later that year.
